Monday, 9 December 2013

Breaking Emotions Blogathon- ALL OF THE EMOTIONS!!

When Mettel Ray announced her Breaking Emotions blogathon, I commented on her blog with a very enthusiastic “Count me in!” not taking into account the fact that I would be traveling, attending a full-blown film festival and going to college in the meantime, and hence having me no time or brain power to actually write the posts.

To make amends, I have decided to just tackle the beast once and for all and give you guys a gargantuan Breaking Emotions: ALL OF THE EMOTIONS post. Enjoy!

Note: This post contains SPOLERS. Also, I haven’t seen some of these movies in a while now and I just want to apologise in advance in case I forget some of the details of the scenes. HATE was the hardest emotion to list down as I am not in the habit of remembering scenes I have disliked in the past. Conversely, LOVE was the emotion with the most number of choices for me to choose from because I love films! :)

3) Antichrist- SHE injures herself

The only reason this scene is #3 and not #1 is because I don’t remember when the scene starts and when it ends and I really don’t want to rewatch and find out. That entire last half hour of Antichrist is a hellish experience with this being the creepiest part of them all. Gahhhhhhh!

2) No Country for Old Men- Anton Chigurh visits Llewelyn Moss’s hotel room

I have spoken about how Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh manages to fill me up with fear by just being in a scene. This scene stands out the most for me because of the tension that it builds up and the idea of Chigurh standing outside your door with that damned gun of his is fucking terrifying *squeaks and hides under the bed*.

1) Magnolia- the raining frogs

Never in my life have I been more freaked out by a scene. I was so into the movie and then these gigantic freakin’ amphibians just start crashing onto windscreens of cars and on people and there’s blood everywhere and they’re huge and gross- you get the picture *shudders*.

3) Blue is the Warmest Colour- Adele and Emma have sex for the first time

I know it is a bit controversial including this in my list, but let me explain. I have no actual problems with the scene. Heck, in the whole context of the film and the big fight at the end, I think it makes total sense why the scene is there. But at the same time, the only time I have watched it is next to my friend and an ex-professor and amidst a sea of middle-aged men. Also the fact that it was the only time in the entire film festival when there was total silence in the crowd, and well, all the ass-slapping on screen ended up being kind of deafening. It was a very weird experience.

2) Bridget Jones’s Diary- Bridget makes a speech at her office’s party

It is one of those scenes that you can’t help but relate to and be embarrassed by.

1) Festen- the racist guests

Festen is, on a whole, a very uncomfortable movie. The story, the people, the way it is shot- it just makes you feel awkward. But never more than when a whole room full of white people decide to mock a black man by singing a song about a racial equality. So unpleasant.

3) The Hours- the whole movie really, but the ending specifically

I don’t know what exactly is it about The Hours that makes me so, well, emotional. Even the trailer makes me cry. If I had to choose just one scene though, it will probably be the ending when Clarissa has finally decided to embrace life, with Virginia’s voice-over in which she’s narrating the letter she wrote to her husband. It’s beautiful and uplifting though with the obvious tragic connections.

2) City Lights- the Flower Girl finally realises who the Tramp is

To quote The Dreamers, “You remember the last shot of City Lights? He looks at the Flower Girl. She looks at him. And don’t forget she’d been blind, so she was seeing him for the very first time and it’s as if through her eyes, we’re also seeing him for the very first time. Charlie Chaplin, the most famous man in the world! And it’s as if we’ve never really seen him before.”

How can you not cry?

1) Titanic- Jack Dawson dies

16 years. It’s been 16 years since this film released and I am still a blubbering mess by the end. And to date, even though I must have watched the film at least 30 times, I secretly hope he won’t die but alas, EVERY TIME! *sniffs*

3) Cafe de Flore- the connection

Cafe de Flore is a very beautiful film showing two apparently disconnected stories. The scene that finally reveals why and how they are related is surprising and also very gorgeously shot.

2) Sympathy for Lady Vengeance- the revenge

The way people behave always has the power to surprise us. The whole scene with the guardians taking revenge on the Mr. Baek was not something I expected from this film. It was both satisfying and sickening, and hence kind of awesome.

1) The Shawshank Redemption- Andy escapes

Has any other hole in a wall made your heart skip a beat like this one did? Even if one knows this scene, you can’t quite deny that sudden rush one feels as they realise what Andy has achieved.

3) Midnight in Paris- Gil meets Salvador Dali

“I see a rhinoceros.”

2) The Apartment- the ending

My cheeks actually start hurting by this point. Jack Lemmom and Shirley Temple are the cutest!

1) Moulin Rouge!- the Elephant Medley

Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, all the songs, the elephant- it’s all so perfect and happy and pretty and colourful.

3) Inglourious Basterds- Hans Landa interrogates Monsieur LaPadite

Quentin Tarantino is a god when it comes to words. The way he just builds up this scene, with Christoph Waltz’s unique brand of nastiness and all the tension just heightening till we get that gory conclusion- it’s amazing.

2) Boogie Nights- Dirk, Reed and Todd visit Rahad Jackson

Those bursting firecrackers. I have never been more on edge during a scene. And it works excellently with the pressure escalating as Dirk, Reed and Todd attempt to scam Rahad. And of course, we all know how it all ends.

1) Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix- Dumbledore versus Voldemort

This is my favourite duel from all the Harry Potter movies. It is spectacular, thrilling and then it ends with Harry being possessed by Voldemort and defeating him internally just as how Dumbledore defeats him with his powers.

3) The Amazing Shit-Man Spider-Man- the final climax

Ugh cranes? Really, Spidey? Really? To save everyone from turning into lizard-people? GAH THIS FILM IS SO STUPID!!!

2) Chennai Express- Rahul and Meena try to escape from Thangaballi by communicating through songs.

I could have really chosen any moment from this film to be on this list. It *is* an amazingly idiotic movie. But I was so enraged by Shahrukh Khan using his hit songs from his good movies in all these moronic ways. Why would one mock their own legacy in that way? And then that Tangabali dude sings too. Ugh, no!

1) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom- the feast

I love Indiana Jones, like for realz. But even 10 year old me could sense how offensive this scene was. And I usually don’t act all patriotic and whatnot, but didn’t Spielberg and Lucas do any research at all? It’s just shameful.

I saw this film on my 16th birthday and for someone who has practically grown up watching dance numbers in movies, this was nothing like I had ever seen before. It was strange and sexy and awesome and it’s still my life’s mission to learn the dance perfectly, for both parts.

2) Before Sunset- Celine sings a waltz.

The whole ending is as perfect as they come but I could really just sit and watch Julie Delpy singing on her guitar and Ethan Hawke reacting to it for my whole life.

1) Fight Club- Jack versus Jack

My most favourite scene of all time. My brain just explodes every time I watch this scene. How did they do it? I don’t even want to know. I just want to bask in its awesomeness.

And that’s it. I hope you like my choices. And please check out all the other brilliant entries for the blogathon.

So, great choices. The Landa interrogation scene is fantastic, and now that I think of it, the moment Shosanna eats desert at his table is also very suspenseful. But there are so many emotions on that scene I wouldn't know where to put it.

So many scenes I would have same emotions with.. the Bridget Jones one is perfect. The Shawshank Redemption on the other hand doesn't surprise me anymore cause I've seen that movie about 10 times now. But The Amazing Spiderman - stupid, so stupid indeed but it is nothing compared to the Spiderman 3 singing/dancing scene.. my god. :D